


Erratic Heartbeat

by creationofclay



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coming Out, Jealousy, M/M, Police Officer Derek, Stiles-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-02-06 20:47:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1871913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creationofclay/pseuds/creationofclay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Stiles sees Derek he is kind of responsible for his arrest. Not that it was his fault that an innocent person got arrested, no really not! Yes Stiles should have talked to Derek before he sent his father to arrest him. But he couldn’t have known that he really was innocent and he also couldn’t have known that he was a really good reason to question his sexuality.<br/>Their second encounter is less unexpected, for Stiles at least who wants to apologize for the mess he created, but it’s not any less awkward maybe even more so because Stiles tries to talk and not just stare.<br/>But it doesn’t matter because that will be it because Derek is moving back to New York, isn’t he?<br/>And Stiles has to deal with his newfound interest in a school full of way too many hot men, so he is busy enough.<br/>What he doesn’t expect is that Derek decides to stay, and that he also decides to finally put his police training to use and that he becomes one of his father’s officers.<br/>As if life wasn’t already complicated enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting Derek Hale

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, Stisaac is barely there, Stackson is more of a thing and Sterek is of course endgame.  
> It plays in the normal Teen Wolf universe, but quite a few details are different, Scott didn’t get bitten for example, the rest will become obvious as the story continuous.  
> And it’s all unbetad unfortunately.

Oh shit! That’s all Stiles can think as he lays eyes on the handsome stranger, who he knows is Derek Hale, for the first time.

From his vantage point slightly hidden by a tree he can see how his father is putting cuffs on Derek. It doesn’t look like Derek said anything yet, his face is stern and unmoving.

Stiles’s stomach drops a bit as he gets the feeling that he made a big mistake. Derek doesn’t look like the emotionless killer Stiles thought he was. Yes Derek might look closed off but he also seems almost disappointed by his arrest, not the least scared or threatened. Okay Stiles knows, that’s a lot to read into someone’s unmoving face.

Stiles doesn’t know how he can ever explain what drew him to this case. Maybe it was the horrifying picture of Laura Hale’s torn up body, maybe it was the fact that on the night she died he had planned to explore the forest with Scott not far from where the police found her and if Scott hadn’t chickened out last minute they might have been there, might have been able to help her. Or maybe it was just, because school was so god damn boring. No matter why, Stiles quickly started researching and investigating a murder that had absolutely nothing to do with him.

And everything pointed towards Derek. Derek, Laura’s brother, who just came to town two days before Laura died, the one that was seen fighting with his sister just a day before she got murdered, the man that lived in their abandoned burnt-out parents’ house not far from where the police found her body. He might not have a record, but in Stiles’s opinion it doesn’t bode well when you finish your police training just to move away never starting as an officer of the law. A profound Internet search revealed that Derek moved at least once a year since his parents and most of his siblings died almost eight years ago. Never, before now, coming back to Beacon Hills. And then the police found the murder weapon in his house when he wasn’t there, so he obviously has to be the killer.

Stiles watches his father talking to one of his officers as he leads Derek to his car and can’t shake the feeling that he is missing something.

Suddenly Derek jerks his head and his eyes find Stiles’s. Stiles can’t help his heart from beating erratically, these intense eyes bore into Stiles and as he quickly hides behind the tree, as his father looks to find what Derek is staring at, Stiles has a hard time catching his breath.

Stiles can hear them drive away, he still feels breathless. Slowly he makes his way back home, sorting through his weird feelings, when he suddenly stops and murmurs, “That can’t be…”

With his hand he reaches to his chest where his heart is still beating heavily.

Stiles starts walking again, trying to convince himself the whole way home that the only reason his heart sped up when he saw Derek was the fact that he was scared.

He is glad that he has the house to himself and he quickly sheds his cloth to take a shower, to clear his head a bit. As he stands under the warm stream of water and lets his thoughts wander they come back to Derek’s eyes and Stiles can’t help but imagine them closer imagine his mouth and Derek’s whole body so much closer.

Stiles groans as he feels his body react to his newest fantasy. Yes because that is really what he needs right now. Being awkwardly gangly and known for having a crush on an unattainable girl isn’t enough obviously he has to be gay or bi or whatever too.

Because Stiles knows all too well that he is not and will never be Danny, he will never be more than a benchwarmer and he won’t just get accepted if he ever decides to make his newfound interest public. He is barely accepted as it is.

Stiles turns the temperature to freezing cold. He doesn’t want to deal with this right now, not that he will be ashamed if this turns out to be his thing, but for now he will ignore it, he is good at that.

\---

Stiles is many things but a coward he is not. He might not be especially brave, but if he knows something has to be done he doesn’t back down. And if he makes a mistake he apologizes for it. That is why he is standing in front of the sheriff’s department right now, waiting for Derek to come out.

Stiles is glad that they could confirm his alibi so quickly even if his dad won’t tell him what it was. His dad was surprised by Stiles’s lack of shock as he told him that Derek is innocent. Deep down in his gut Stiles knew that already.

He steps from foot to foot as he waits next to his jeep. For a moment he can’t say anything when he sees Derek again, stunned by the effect the other man has on him. But before Derek can walk more than two steps Stiles calls out, “Hey Derek, do you need a lift?” And that was not the plan.

Derek frowns at him for a moment when recognition spreads on his face, he stalks over to Stiles and despite them being almost the same height, Stiles feels like a midget in Derek’s overwhelming present.

“What do you want?”, the older man asks grumpily.

Stiles tries not to stare into Derek’s eyes, that would just be weird.

“I … I … like I said I thought you might need a lift.” Stiles stutters.

Derek doesn’t even grace him with an answer to that nonsense and raises his eyebrow sceptically.

Stiles sighs, “Okay, okay, I … I am sorry for getting you arrested!”

Derek looks disbelieving at him now.

“You getting me arrested? And how the hell should you have accomplished that?”

Stiles gets defensive and huffs, “Well by gathering the evidence and presenting it to my father, the sheriff.”

“You? How old are you? I mean aren’t you like just out of kindergarten or something?”

“Hey, what the fuck? I am trying to be nice here and apologize for a mistake I made and you are not that much older than me.” Stiles counters rather defensively. He doesn’t know why that statement made his stomach hurt so much or rather he knows why and decides to ignore the reason behind it.

Derek gives him an unimpressed look.

“So now I should be thankful for your manners after you had me rot in a cell for twenty-four hours?”

Stiles blushes slightly he just wants to utter another apology, when Derek walks around Stiles’s jeep and opens the passenger door, saying “Get me home and we’ll call it even.”

Stiles needs a moment to catch himself before ungracefully jumping in his car and starting to drive.

“To your parents’ house?”

“Yes” they are silent for a while, Derek is looking out of the window contemplatively. “You were at my house yesterday weren’t you?”

Stiles just nods.

“Why? Did you want to see how they caught the big bad killer?”

Stiles blushes again, fuck his stupid overactive blood circulation. He doesn’t know how to answer that, because that really was the reason why he was there.

Derek lets out a tired breath and says, “No, don’t answer, I get it. It’s not your fault that someone tried to set me up.”

“I am sorry for your sister by the way.”

Derek gives Stiles an observing look, “You and your father are more similar than you seem. Did you know her, did you know my sister?”

Stiles shakes his head and after a short moment of hesitation he says, “I … I met your mother once.” Derek looks at him curiously now, “She worked in the hospital where … where my mother was staying when she died and she … when they told me my mother had passed away I ran away and hid in one of the supply closets, your mother was the one that found me, she … she was really nice and understanding, she didn’t drag me out, she just let a nurse know where I was and then sat with me. She was an amazing woman.”

Derek nods.

As they reach Derek’s front porch, Stiles asks himself again how someone can voluntarily live in this ruin.

Before Derek leaves the car he turns to Stiles and says, “Sorry for your mother and thanks for that story, I haven’t talked about her in a long time since she passed away. It’s good to hear about her.” And just for a moment Derek presses Stiles’s shoulder in a sympathetic manner and then he is gone.

And on his drive home Stiles can feel his heart beating erratically again. All he can do now, is to convince his treacherous stomach that he is glad that he probably won’t ever see Derek again, since he for sure will move back to New York or wherever he planned to go next now.

He can still feel Derek’s hand on his shoulder when he falls into bed that night.


	2. School, Best Friends and other Problems

\---Three weeks later---

“So what now, all of a sudden you’re attracted to guys?”, Scott asks way too loud as they enter the school.

“Shhh! You don’t need to announce it to everyone!”, Stiles looks around them suspiciously, but thankfully everyone seems to be preoccupied.

Scott, now quieter, continues their conversation from the car as if it’s no problem that they are surrounded by their schoolmates, “So again, how did this happen?”

Stiles knew when the words left his mouth that it wasn’t a good idea to tell Scott about his newest revelation right as they arrived at school, but he just couldn’t hold it in anymore. And if Scott had asked about Lydia one more time Stiles would have burst. Lydia was so a month ago.

“It’s not important how it happened, just that it did and that it doesn’t make school any easier for me.”

Scott suddenly grins and asks, “Do you like someone at school? Danny? I always thought it was suspicious how often you asked him if you were attractive to gay guys.”

Stiles groans, of course Scott doesn’t even acknowledge the earthshattering changes being and realizing that he is gay brings for Stiles, no he just jumps ahead and thinks about who Stiles’s next possible crush could be. In many ways Scott is the best bro Stiles could have ever hoped for.

“Let’s not jump the gun here, I mean okay I can see that Danny is attractive, but so are many, way too many people in our year.”

“Who? Who do you find attractive?”

“Scott! It’s not that important.”

They walk to their class and Scott has his thinker face on, never a good sign.

“So Danny, let’s see the twins that just transferred aren’t bad to look at either, are they? And Isaac got quite some muscles over the summer or is Boyd the silent strong type more your thing? As long as you are not attracted to Jackson everything’s fine.”

Stiles groans again and just wants to tell Scott to shut up when he sees Jackson already sitting at his place, smirking at him.

Great, if the floor could just open now, please. If Stiles did want anyone not to know, then it would have been Jackson. And the fact that Jackson is way too high on the list of newly accepted wank material is, to say the least, suboptimal.

Scott and Stiles sit down at their usual place in the back row. Scott turns to Stiles with a serious expression on his face, “You are not attracted to Jackson, are you?”

Stiles huffs and murmurs, “No don’t worry, he is not my type.”

Thankfully Scott doesn’t detect the lie, but he doesn’t let go either.

“So who is your type?”

“Oh my god Scott”, after a glance at Scott Stiles realizes that he won’t back down, if Stiles doesn’t give him an answer, “Okay, yes the twins look good but they seem kind of mean, and Boyd is way too into Erika to even consider.”

Scott smiles again, “So Isaac would be an option?”

“You are like a dog with a bone, yes I guess if he were you know … and if he would ever speak to anyone.”

Scott keeps on smiling throughout English and Stiles can’t stop thinking that this is a bad sign.

On their way to their lunch table Stiles is distracted by cursing their chemistry teacher for his newest idea of monumental homework, when Scott suddenly makes a left turn where they normally go straight to their table. And as Stiles follows him he has a bad feeling about where they are going.

A moment later his bad feeling is proven right.

Scott stops in front of a table at which Boyd, Erika and Isaac are eating. Erika looks at him suspiciously. Scott just grins and asks, “Is it okay if we sit here?”

Stiles groans and Erika raises an eyebrow, “Why would you want to?”

Isaac says quietly, “You always sit on the other side so Stiles can stare at Lydia, why would you change that?”

Stiles is taken aback by the fact that Isaac knows about his crush on Lydia and to be honest by the fact that the other boy knows his name.

Scott shakes his head and explains, “That’s so last month, no we thought we could change things up and we never really talk, so is it okay if we sit here?”

Erika and Isaac exchange looks Boyd just grunts, and in the end Erika nods.

Of course Scott sits down next to Erika, which leaves Stiles with a seat next to Isaac. And it’s not like he has a crush on the other boy, but he can’t help the blush that’s forming on his face now.

They eat quietly for a bit when Scott starts a discussion with Erika about their English class and Isaac leans over to Stiles and asks carefully, “So you are not into Lydia anymore?”

Stiles can’t keep his blush from deepening now, “No, it’s … it was never … real? I don’t know, but no, I mean I still think she is ace but I don’t … I don’t see her like that anymore.”

“And you are not suddenly into Erika are you?”, Isaac asks with a nod towards Erika.

Stiles stutters quickly, “No, no, why… would you think that?”

Isaac smirks now, and Stiles has never seen that look on him, he feels weirdly flushed suddenly.

“Your friend isn’t exactly subtle, and I had the feeling that he had a reason to come here and since he keeps looking at the Argent girl, I don’t think that he came here for himself.”

Stiles looks determinedly at his sandwich now and mumbles, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Isaac says quietly, “Sure you don’t” and Stiles can hear the smile in his voice. Suddenly it’s despite the fact that he feels awkward not too bad that he sits besides Isaac.

And easier than Stiles thought they would they all fall into nice small talk even Boyd contributes a few things other than nos and yeses.

Stiles is contemplating something witty he wants to say to Isaac when someone pumps into him.

He looks up confused when he sees Jackson smirking down on him.

“I thought you two losers had your own loser table.”

Stiles just stares, not being able to comprehend why Jackson is talking to him.

Erika huffs and says, “Don’t you have better things to do?”

Jackson doesn’t look away from Stiles, leans in closer and says so only Stiles and Isaac can hear, “Just because you don’t want to stare at Lydia anymore doesn’t mean you can’t keep staring at our table.”

As Jackson straightens himself he smirks at the table and says, “Bye losers.”

And he is gone, leaving a completely flabbergast Stiles behind.

Isaac’s happy demeanour is gone and he doesn’t even say bye when he leaves their table.

Stiles has no idea how to fix any of it because he really has no idea what is going on. But Scott at least doesn’t ask him about Jackson as they leave lunch he just gives him weird looks.

\---

Stiles rubs his hurting shoulder while he waits for his father to get dinner out of the microwave.

They sit down to eat and his father asks, “Why do you keep rubbing your shoulder? I thought you are only a benchwarmer at lacrosse, not that I am not proud of you anyway.”

Stiles smiles tiredly, “Thanks, yes I’m still a benchwarmer, but during practice everyone gets to play, so even benchwarmers can get tackled.”

His father frowns. “Are you okay? Do you want to go over to Scott’s and have Melissa look it over?”

“No I am fine it’s really nothing.” And Stiles means it, despite the big purple bruise his injury is really nothing. The fact that he still has no clue why Jackson ran into him when he was trying to talk to Danny during their practice is a bigger issue.

Stiles just wanted to get some information out of Danny about the places to go in Beacon Hills and the next thing he knows is that he is lying on his back, Jackson’s lacrosse stick on his shoulder and Jackson lying on top of him, looking rather smug for doing something absolutely useless.

Even Finstock got into Jackson’s face about the needless tackle, but not before Isaac had pulled Jackson away from Stiles, giving Jackson a furious look before asking Stiles if he was okay.

And Scott his best friend was standing a few feet away badly hiding an amused smile.

“Are you okay?”, his father asks concerned.

“Sure, why shouldn’t I be?” Stiles answers swiftly.

“You are eerily silent today.”

“I … a few weird things happened that’s all.”

“What kind of weird? You know you can talk to me about everything.”

Stiles smiles at his father and tries to calm himself before he says, “Well, okay, there is actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Sure, just tell me.”

Before Stiles can formulate a way to tell his father that he is gay or maybe at least bi, the doorbell rings.

Stiles startles, they don’t get many unexpected visitors.

His father swears under his breath and stands, saying, “I am sorry, you can still tell me, let me just tell Hale to wait for me.”

The sheriff walks to their front door, a baffled Stiles right behind. “What do you mean Hale, you mean Derek Hale? Why would Derek be…?”

Before Stiles can finish the question his father opens their front door and in front of it stands a perfectly handsome Derek Hale, flawlessly dressed in a police uniform.

Stiles mind goes blank for a moment. His teenage mind isn’t capable of handling an image like this!

His father tells Derek to come in and answers Stiles previous question, “Derek applied to be a police officer in Beacon Hills a few weeks ago and a few days ago all his papers finally went through, but because he hasn’t been here for a while I thought I would show him the ropes in the beginning.”

All Stiles can do is nod.

Derek looks a bit uncomfortable but gives the sheriff a thankful look before looking at Stiles.

And Stiles feels hot all over again.

“Ah sorry I forgot, you two haven’t met, Derek, this is my son Stiles.”

Derek cocks his eyebrow in question at Stiles and Stiles shakes his head covertly. His father still sees it of course and gives him a questioning look.

“Stiles? Do you want to tell me something?”

Stiles rubs his head and looks at his feet. “No, don’t think so.”

Derek, the traitor, smirks and says, “Stiles actually drove me home from the station when I got out after the arrest.”

“Stiles! You didn’t know anything about him, you thought he was a murderer just a day before! No offense Derek.”

Derek shrugs, “None taken.”

“You hired him!”

“You didn’t know that then.”

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“Stiles!”

“Okay, okay I swear I will never again drive people that I wrongly accused of murder home after they are released from holding.”

Derek chuckles and Stiles feels lightheaded as he watches the crinkles around his dark brown eyes. Derek suddenly sobers under Stiles’s probably improper stare.

His father shakes his head and says, “The sad thing is that there is a high possibility that this promise will be relevant sometime in the future. Anyway, you wanted to tell me something?”

Stiles can’t help but blush and rub his shoulder unconsciously when he thinks about the fact that he just wanted to come out and that the reason for it is now standing in front of him.

Derek frowns at Stiles’s shoulder and his father asks, “So what is it? Does it have to do with what happened at lacrosse?”

Derek asks surprised, “You play lacrosse?”

“What, surprised that I manage to hold a stick?”, Stiles gives back annoyed by Derek’s surprise.

Confused Derek says, “No, what has that to do with…”, and in that moment Stiles realizes the innuendo in his own remark and he can see the realization reflected in Derek’s eyes. Stiles is sure that his face is flaming red by now. 

The fact that Derek gives him a questioning look now doesn’t make it any better.

But before it can get even worse Derek says, “Well I’ll wait in the car, was nice to meet you Stiles. Again.”

He nods at Stiles and leaves.

His father gives Stiles a thorough look and asks, “Stiles what was that?”

“I have no clue what you are talking about and you should go to work, can’t let the perps get away!”

“Okay, but we will talk about what you wanted to tell me tomorrow.”

Stiles nods strongly, “Of course we will, have a good night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it so far, and comments are very welcome!


	3. Stiles and What Not to Say

After a very cold shower Stiles quickly finished his chemistry homework before he pulls the well-hidden file about Laura Hale’s murder out. His father doesn’t know that he still has one, he thinks Stiles gave up after his first lack of success. He didn’t, admittedly he let himself be distracted by other things for a while but he still has the murder in the back of his mind. And he is sure that Derek has no other reason to stay here than to lead his own investigation.

And Stiles doesn’t want Derek to go to jail, so he will do what he can to find the killer first. Not that it’s easy, all the leads have dried up and besides Derek there never was another good suspect.

So like his father taught him, Stiles starts from the beginning. He lays the picture of Laura on his table and opens his laptop, where he has the timeline of her life written out.

He also has one with the Hale’s family tree, because after their parents died together with two of their siblings in that horrible fire that destroyed the Hale house, all of their property and money went to Laura. That was the reason why Derek seemed to be the perfect suspect, now that Laura is dead he gets at least part of it.

Stiles knows all that because of his great charm and probably also the boredom the Hales’ lawyer’s assistant, Malia, was suffering from.

The Hale’s family tree looks sad. So many dead people. Derek and his uncle Peter, who vanished after the fire, are the only ones alive. Even Stiles with his amazing research skills couldn’t find anything about Peter after the fire. Before he had been a successful lawyer, according to his company picture not bad looking either.

But Peter should reappear now that Laura’s will will be read the day after tomorrow.

And since Stiles is still in contact with Malia he knows that he can come over just at the right time to bring her some coffee. She is bright enough to know what he is up to, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

Before Stiles can look any further at the information he found about Laura’s ex-boyfriends his phone starts ringing.

He picks up as he sees Scott’s happy grin appear on his screen.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Nothing, just calling to see what you are up to.”

“Nothing special was just looking at Laura’s exes again.”

“Come on, I thought you were past that.”

“Not really, there is still a murderer on the loose and … Derek is still here he is working as a police officer now.”

“Wow that’s quite the change… and you think he is only staying because…”

“Yes, I am sure after all I know about him. I don’t think he would stay and just let his sister’s murderer escape.”

“You know that you only talked to him once?” 

“Twice actually, he picked my father up today.”

“Okay, still … is he … oh my god! He is the reason why you know that you like guys now!”

“Scott! Could you keep quiet, I haven’t told my father yet so I would like to keep your mother and the whole town from knowing.”

“Ah she wouldn’t tell, so are you planning on, you know, telling him?”

“I don’t know, I was gonna but then Derek came and… they are working together now, I wouldn’t want my father to know that I’m into Derek but I’m sure he would get it pretty soon if he knew so … for now I think I’ll keep it to myself.”

“As you wish, but I am sure your dad won’t mind… Having Derek around must suck.”

“Oh you have no idea. He looks like a freaking god in his uniform!”

Scott chuckles. “What is with Isaac I mean you two were flirting today weren’t you?”

“I haven’t told you yet how horrifying your manoeuvre from lunch was. And I have no clue if he was flirting but I will admit that he is kinda cute.”

“I think he was, when you left to go shower he was giving Jackson a very distinct stink eye.”

“Yeah what the hell was that about?”

“I am not sure … if I wouldn’t know better I would say Jackson is pulling your pigtails.”

“What? English please.”

“It’s something my mother told me once, when I told her about one of the boys who was being mean to one of the girls in kindergarten and she told me that sometimes if they are not very self-secure boys pull a girl’s pigtail to get their attention because they like them.”

“You know I am neither a girl nor do I have pigtails… and you don’t really think that Jackson could … you know ‘like’ me?”

“I’m not sure, if Jackson can like anyone, but he was behaving weird even for him today. Danny gave you two a suspicious look too and since he and Lydia are permanently broken up, maybe, who knows? But it’s not like you like him.”

“Yeah, you are right”, Stiles says half-heartedly, this time Scott unfortunately picks up on his obvious lie.

“What! You like him?!”

“No… it’s not like … he is hot that’s all.”

Scott groans. “Ugh come on not him, Isaac is perfectly good-looking and also nice, can’t you crush on him?”

Stiles chuckles. “If you like Isaac so much maybe you should date him, and you know that’s not how it works and I’m not crushing on Jackson don’t worry I have already a perfectly unhealthy crush on someone else completely unattainable.”

“Ah Stiles.”

“It’s fine, I am sure I wont see him as often as I fear.”

“I’ll cross my fingers, do you wanna come over tomorrow after I am done working?”

“Sure, see you in school.”

“See you.”

Stiles goes back to his research never pulling out the way too distracting photo of Derek he also has in his file.

\----

And his fear of a now ever-present Derek in his life becomes reality way too soon.

The next morning as Stiles walks sleepily into the kitchen, tired beyond measure because he couldn’t stop researching until 4 am, he walks straight into a broad, muscular torso.

“What…”

He rubs his eyes and looks into the intense and way too awake eyes of none other than Derek Hale.

“Your father is getting some things from his office and he told me to get some coffee.”

Stiles nods still looking startled at Derek. How someone can look even more perfect in reality than in his colorful dreams is beyond him.

“Do you want some coffee?”

Derek points to the pot he just made.

Stiles gives him a thankful look before grapping a cup and drinking his first cup in one go, black as it is.

Derek just cocks an eyebrow at him.

“You don’t get to glare, you don’t have to get through chemistry with Harris and Lacrosse with less than three hours of sleep.”

“Ah I always hated Harris. No you’re right I don’t but I am guessing no one was forcing you to stay up that late.”

Stiles blushes slightly and turns getting a second cup of coffee this time with milk and a lot of sugar.

“Morning son”, his father greets him as he enters the kitchen, “This is your first cup of coffee isn’t it?”

“Of course it is dad, I know that I shouldn’t drink more than one.”

Derek raises his eyebrow at Stiles, and how the hell can someone have such talkative eyebrows.

“I am going over to Scott’s later by the way.”

“Sure no problem, I will probably not be home before eight anyway I wanted to talk to Derek’s uncle today.”

Stiles stills. “Peter is in town?”

Derek frowns at Stiles. “Yes he is, but I don’t think that has anything to do with you.”

Stiles forces a laugh out of him. “Of course it hasn’t, was just curious.”

His father just wants to say something when his phone rings. He picks up and walks out of the kitchen talking to one of his deputies.

Derek stalks toward Stiles and gives him a penetrating look, “Stay out of this! This is a family matter!”

Stiles gasps, “So does that mean you think your uncle did this? Was he in town, would he be capable of something like this?”

“Stiles! This is nothing to you!”

Stiles swallows and quickly thinks of the best strategy to do this.

“You are right of course, I am … after making such a big mistake with you I just have a vested interest.”

Derek huffs, “You are sixteen years old, I am sure you’ll find something else to keep your mind occupied.”

“Almost seventeen and how do you know how old I am anyway?”

If Stiles isn’t completely mistaken Derek just blushes a bit but instead of it being obvious like it would be on a normal human being it is so discreet that Stiles can’t be sure.

“Your father mentioned it.”

“Hm, anyway my mind wanders pretty fast, ADHD and all, and the latest video game, attractive classmates and male circumcision can only hold my interest for so long.”

Oh my god! What the hell was going on with him, Stiles never had a death wish but right now would be a good time for the earth to open up and swallow him.

Derek seems to do his best to hold back a smile, which might make Stiles’s embarrassment worth it.

“So male circumcision? Interesting topic.”

And because his mouth doesn’t seem to get the message to behave the next thing Stiles says is, “Yes well since I’m not circumcised I’m always wondering how it is to be.”

Now even Derek can’t keep his blush from being obvious and, Stiles is sure he is mistaken, but for a moment Derek’s eyes seemed to have glanced down on him, down at his crotch to be exact. Well Stiles is beyond any hidable blush anyway.

And that’s the moment his father enters the kitchen, still looking at his phone he says, “We need to get going and Stiles I think you should be on your way to school by now.”

Stiles hurries past his father just calling as he retreats, “You’re right, have a good day and don’t let him eat sweets Derek.”


	4. Pigtails

At school Stiles is even more distracted than usual, because he thought about it the whole drive here and he thinks there might really be the slim possibility that Derek is kinda attracted to him. Maybe.

During lunch Scott walks to Erika’s table again, and this time Stiles doesn’t have any objections.

Erika just nods as they sit down and asks Scott if he has a clue about what to write for their biology homework.

Isaac seems to be fascinated by his lunch and doesn’t say a word to Stiles. Well, unfortunately silence doesn’t work for Stiles.

“So Isaac what’s your favourite superhero?”

Isaac gives him an annoyed look.

“What is it to you, who I like?”

Stiles gasps. “What’s your problem? Haven’t I been perfectly nice to you?”

Isaac roles his eyes. “Yes you have, but you seem to be perfectly nice to quite a few people.”

Stiles gives Scott, who started listening in, a confused look, Scott shrugs in answer.

Erika huffs. “He is annoyed because Jackson gave him the impression that you’re into the jock.”

“When?” Stiles asks perplexed.

Isaac answers, “After lacrosse yesterday, he came up to me and told me that I shouldn’t even try, because you had better taste than that.”

“What? But why would he…?”

Scott murmurs, “Pigtails”

Stiles asks confused, “You really think? … Anyway he doesn’t have a right to do that.” And suddenly it clicks and Stiles turns fully towards Isaac, “Does that mean … you would like to try?”

Isaac blushes, and it looks adorable on him.

“Well, I might have thought about it when your friend sat you so obviously next to me.”

Erika coughs and Boyd rolls his eyes.

Stiles gives them a questioning look, “What?”

Erika smiles at Isaac evilly, “I am pretty sure that’s not the first time Isaac thought about it.”

Boyd, “Not even close.”

Isaac, “Guys!”

Stiles smiles at them, he feels oddly content right now, Isaac’s cute and into him, as it seems.

“So does that mean you would, I don’t know, maybe like to go out sometime?”

Isaac gives him an adorable grin. “Yes I would love to.”

They all continue their lunch falling into a comfortable silence.

After he is finished, Isaac smiles at Stiles once more and says, “To answer your question from before it’s Batman.”

Stiles gives him a goofy smile back, but before he can tell him how much he appreciates the answer he sees Jackson approaching their table.

He gets up quickly and builds himself in front of Jackson. The jock looks perplexed for a moment, before schooling his face and saying, “What is it Stilinski?”

“You are the one that was on your way to our table.”

“Oh it’s your table now?”

“Yes it is.”

Jackson’s look grows angry, he leans forward and whispers into Stiles’s ear, “You are better than them.”

Stiles gives him a cold look, “No I’m not and they are not ‘worse’ than you if anything they are better because they can behave nicely. And I have no clue why you are behaving as you do but I would be perfectly fine if you could get back to ignoring me.”

Scott coughs, “Pigtails”, loud enough for anyone to hear, Stiles rolls his eyes and Erika suddenly starts laughing very hard.

“These are really the people you choose to sit with?”

Stiles gives Jackson an exasperated look, “Yes, Scott is my best friend, and the others are also becoming my friends, and anyway it’s not like you had any interest for me to sit at your table before.”

Jackson waves that comment off. “That’s in the past.”

“No it’s not, that was like a week ago, nothing changed since then.”

Jackson grows irritated now. “Something obviously changed.”

Stiles really doesn’t get it, he sees how Scott gives him a sign to abort and even Erika looks concerned, but Stiles can’t help himself and he asks, “What? What has so obviously changed?”

Jackson seems angry and he says, almost screams, “You are gay, that’s changed!” 

Stiles looks at him flabbergast, he can feel the heat in his cheeks, he is mortified, not that he wouldn’t have outed himself one day, but certainly not like this.

Jackson also looks horrified. Danny comes up behind him and starts dragging Jackson out while saying “Sorry” over his shoulder. 

Scott and Isaac guide Stiles out of the lunchroom while quite a few people are staring at them.

Scott asks tentatively, “Are you okay?”

Stiles shakes his head, “No, I don’t think so.”

Isaac looks angry in the direction Jackson went with Danny.

“I should punch him for what he did right now.”

Stiles wills his breathing to slow and says, “No, it’s fine, I mean no it’s not, but I will live and he isn’t worth for you to get into trouble.”

The bell rings and Scott and Stiles walk to their class after Stiles and Isaac quickly exchanged numbers. Stiles still feels a bit numb and he can hear the whispers behind his back. He knows it will go away quickly, but for now it’s something to talk about. And he hasn’t even told his father yet.

\----

Stiles lies awake that night going over the events of the day in his mind. On the positive side is his date with Isaac that is planned for the weekend and the fact that Boyd and Erika are really becoming his friends, on the negative side would be that he was outed to the whole school and that Jackson is an asshole. He isn’t sure where he should place his first kiss.

Not on the negative side because it was too hot for that, but also not on the positive side because Stiles has no clue what to do with it.

After school Scott left quickly to get to his job at Deaton’s veterinary clinic and the parking lot was pretty empty when Stiles walked to his car only to be surprised by an abruptly appearing Jackson.

He just wanted to push past him angrily. But Jackson, the perfectly built jock that he was, stood his ground and said, “I am sorry.”

Stiles gave him an angry look and just wanted to comment snidely when he realized that Jackson’s face was contorted in sorrow.

“I am, I swear, I wasn’t thinking, I would never do something like that. Danny lectured me already, not that he had to, I knew, I mean if someone would do that to me I would be horrified.”

Stiles swallowed heavily he was still angry but suddenly also curious.

“But you are not gay, are you?”

“No, not gay … bisexual.”

“Hm, have you and Danny ever?”

“No, not really, we kissed once sure, but it was more fun than sexy, I mean you wouldn’t want to kiss McCall, would you?”

Stiles shuddered. “No, never!”

“So again, I am really sorry.”

Jackson started to retreat, when Stiles grabbed his arm and asked, “So… why … what was that with me?”

Jackson blushed.

“It’s not important, you and Lahey have fun.”

Stiles didn’t let go and said, “You know Scott has this theory that you are figuratively pulling my pigtails because you are into me.”

Jackson’s blush deepened and his normal arrogant glare came back.

“No clue how you and McCall get your stupid ideas, Stilinski.”

“You didn’t answer the question”, Stiles got into Jackson’s space now until they were only separated by an inch, “and I think you know how we could get that idea.”

Jackson took a shuddering breath in and Stiles had to admit that the closeness affected him too, he could smell Jackson from here, his freshly showered skin and his unnaturally blue eyes seemed really fascinating close range.

Quickly Stiles stepped back and to his car. “Anyway it doesn’t matter, I accept your apology, let’s just forget it.”

And if Jackson wasn’t Jackson that would have been it.

Jackson yanked him back and pressed him against his jeep only to come close and murmur, “Don’t start what you can’t finish”, into his ear before he pressed his lips onto Stiles’s.

For a moment Stiles couldn’t react and only felt Jackson’s lips grazing his but a second later a deep hunger, he didn’t even know he had, gripped him and he pressed himself into Jackson and opened his mouth. Jackson responded to the messy kiss with a talented tongue and a low moan.

It felt like forever until they parted because they needed air, Jackson smirked at Stiles who looked back baffled.

“See you tomorrow”, Jackson said as he walked to his car with a grin.

Stiles needed a bit longer to get a grip on himself.

And even now, hours later, he hasn’t made up his mind. He knows he doesn’t want to be with Jackson, but… well to have his tongue down his throat again wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen, which makes him feel guilty.

Stiles gets up again, ignoring the clock that tells him that it’s 1 am, because he has to distract himself and what better way than to do some research into Laura Hale’s murder.


	5. Laura Hale's Will

Avoiding Jackson is its own sport but possible, not appearing guilty in front of Isaac is harder but also not too hard and Isaac seems very distracted the whole day anyway. Only Scott seems to know that something’s up but for now he seems to believe Stiles that it has to do with the fact that he needs to dodge out an hour early from school to get to the reading of Laura’s will in time.

Playing sick in the nurse’s office wasn’t even hard after Stiles ran into Jackson minutes before just to turn around and to walk very quickly in a different direction.

Now Stiles is on his way to the lawyer’s office while contemplating his life choices. Avoiding Jackson isn’t really the solution and it’s not like Jackson would really approach him about the kiss in public but … well Stiles has no idea what he really thinks about it. His very vivid dreams that included Jackson and also Derek didn’t help him either.

And Isaac would be way better for him than either of them, he knows that. With a groan Stiles leaves his car and enters the lawyer’s office, two coffees in hand.

Malia sits behind her desk looking bored, she brightens when she sees Stiles or the coffee, he is never sure with her.

“Great to see you!”

“Are you talking to me or the coffee?”

“Ah come on how can you ask, the coffee obviously.”

Stiles snorts and hands her her coffee.

“So are they in yet?”

“Peter Hale arrived half an hour ago, Derek Hale is still missing.”

Stiles leans against her desk and they talk about this and that, Malia is actually a pretty good friend and Stiles already told her that he is gay and because she doesn’t know them personally Stiles can talk about Isaac and Jackson openly, just as they come to his original crush the front door slams open and Derek stalks in, a dark look that grows even darker when he sees Stiles on his face. 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Malia stands up and suddenly has a very professional aura around her, she hands Derek a form for visitors and a pen while saying, “You are Mister Derek Hale I presume? If you could just fill this out and then go through, Mister O’Neil and Mister Hale are already waiting for you.”

Derek huffs and starts filling out the form while giving Stiles mean looks.

The door to Mister O’Neil’s office opens and Harry, an aging lawyer, and Peter Hale step out.

Peter grins at his nephew and says, “Ah I knew I heard your distinctive growling.”

Stiles snickers, which makes Peter notice him and suddenly he has an uncanny smirk on his face. “And who do we have here?”

Before Stiles can answer, Harry asks, “Stiles what are you doing here? I thought you had your report together already.”

It had been a good alibi for his presence the last time. Derek raises an eyebrow at Stiles.

Thankfully Malia saves him. “Well it was so good that he has to write a follow up on the story, isn’t that right?”

“Of course it is, thank you for explaining it.”

Harry nods, “Oh okay, well I have to talk to these gentlemen before but after that we can talk, is it still about inheritance laws?”

Stiles blushes slightly but nods.

Harry walks back into his office and gestures Peter and Derek to follow him, Peter shoots him a last curious look before he enters. Derek stays behind.

“What do you think you are doing here?”

“You heard Malia I am researching a story.”

“No you are not, we both know why you are really here.”

“Well, then why did you ask?”

Derek presses the root of his nose in frustration. “If your father was here…”

Stiles interrupts him, suddenly aware of the lack of his father’s presence.

“Why isn’t he?”

Derek gives him a distinct look, like he is contemplating telling him. “A man was murdered last night.”

“Who?”

“Stiles!”

Stiles gets impatient now. “This is my town, I know almost everyone at least by name!”

Derek huffs, “They say the car the man died in belonged to a Mister Lahey, but I don’t know the details.”

Stiles pales.

Malia gives him a concerned look. She asks, “Lahey as in Isaac Lahey? Do you think they are related?”

“I don’t … Isaac mentioned that his father didn’t come home last night, he seemed happy about it. Do you think … should I call him?”

“I don’t know. If the police hasn’t told him yet, maybe not.”

Derek gives him a suspicious look, “How do you know Isaac Lahey?”

Stiles blushes, “We sit together at lunch.”

“And they are going on a date on Saturday.” Malia adds happily.

Derek’s look grows dark again, but before he can say anything, his uncle comes out of Harry‘s office and says, “I am sure Stiles is very entertaining, but we should get this going, we are paying him by the hour.”

Derek nods and enters the lawyer’s office.

As they close the door Stiles walks around Malia’s desk and she presses a button on her phone so they can hear what is going on inside the office.

Stiles is distracted with his thoughts thinking about poor Isaac, and most of it is just boring legal talk, Derek grunts sometimes in confirmation, Peter seems to be more eloquent but not any less bored.

In the end Stiles isn’t surprised when the will says that everything will go to Derek, he didn’t really suspect Laura to change what her parents seemed to have decided years ago.

Peter doesn’t seem mad and Derek even offers him all the money he would get, he just wants to keep the house.

If Stiles isn’t mistaken Peter has to hold himself back when he tells Derek that it’s fine and that he has enough money himself.

Malia quickly shuts the connection before Peter stalks out of the office, before Peter leaves he turns to Derek and hands him his card.

“I think I am going to stay in town for awhile, give me a call some time, we should get something to drink and catch up. Good day Mister O’Neil, Miss Tate, Stiles.”

A shudder runs down Stiles’s back at the way Peter says his name. He might not have been on the top of his suspects’ list before but now he definitely is a contender for the pole position.

Derek shakes Harry’s hand and gestures Stiles to follow him, which Stiles does after giving Malia a quick look.

“So I’m guessing you heard everything that we talked about?”

Stiles blushes but shakes his head, “No, how would I?”

Derek shoots him a dark look, “Your friend could get into serious trouble for helping you.”

Stiles quickly says, “It’s not her fault! I coaxed her into helping me.”

Derek nods, “I know, but it’s good to know that you at least don’t throw other people under the bus. Do you need a lift?”

Stiles shakes his head, “No, I need to go back in and talk to Harry and I am here with my jeep anyway, but thanks for the offer.”

“You won’t let this go, will you?”

“I… No I won’t.”

Derek stretches his hand out and commands, “Give me your phone.”

Stiles just complies, he doesn’t really feel like he has another option.

Derek puts his number into Stiles’s phone and says, “If you find something or if you plan on interrogating or accusing someone call me!”

Stiles nods numbly, this went way better than he thought it would.

“You won’t also investigate Lahey’s murder will you?”

Stiles blushes, he doesn’t think Derek should know him this well already.

Derek groans. “Stiles! Your father is a good sheriff he is absolutely capable of doing this.”

“I know … it’s just if it’s Isaac’s dad…”

Derek gives him a thoughtful look, “So you and him are together?”

Stiles quickly stutters, “No… no it’s not like… it’s just a date, I have no clue, this ... I have no clue what I am doing and… my dad doesn’t actually know that… please could you please not tell him?”

Derek nods, “Of course, I wouldn’t out anyone. I know how bad that can go.”

Stiles didn’t really know how hard he could blush before he met Derek.

“You mean you are…”

“That is none of your concern, and I have to get back to the station now. Good day.”

Stiles nods, watching as Derek retreats to his car. Which turns out to be the coolest car Stiles has ever seen. He should have just accepted the ride no matter if his jeep is here, sitting in this beautiful black Camaro would have been worth walking back. And sitting next to the hottest guy on this planet would have been a definite bonus.


	6. On The Other Side

Isaac isn’t in school the next day. By the time lunch roles around Stiles is seriously worried, especially after Erika and Boyd tell him they don’t know where he is either.

Stiles messaged Isaac more than three times by now, he is getting worried, maybe he should just call. He leaves lunch early not even telling Scott what’s up. Because it’s not Stiles’s place to tell anyone, if Isaac’s dad is dead.

It rings for some time until someone picks up. Before Isaac can say anything Stiles blabbers on, “Oh my god Isaac are you okay? I was worried, did anything happen? Did your father come home?”

“Stiles”, says a well known but not a bit Isaac-like voice.

Stiles swallows heavily, that can’t be good.

“Derek, what are you doing with Isaac’s phone?”

“We found it at the murder scene.”

“So … the body was Isaac’s dad?”

“Yes … I am guessing you don’t know where Isaac is?”

“No, why? Don’t you know where he is?”, and Stiles’s concern grows tenfold.

“No we don’t. If he contacts you it would be good if you could tell your father.”

“You don’t… you don’t think he did this?”

“Stiles this doesn’t concern you.”

“Of course it does! Isaac is my friend, if you think he could ever murder his father then I am concerned!”

“Stiles”

“Derek! Isaac’s a good guy why do you think he could do something like that?”

It’s quiet on the other end of the line, Stiles even checks if they are still connected.

“Derek? Are you still there?”

“We searched his house… Did you ever see bruises on Isaac?”

“What… no, I mean yeah he had some on his chest and back sometimes, but I thought it was from extracurricular lacrosse.”

“How often did you see these bruises?”

“Don’t know? I didn’t watch him that closely.”

“You didn’t? Shouldn’t you if he is your boyfriend.”

Stiles coughs suddenly, because he just realizes how Derek thinks he saw these bruises. After he has himself under control again he explains quickly, “Oh my god no! Not like that! We have lacrosse together that’s how I know.”

“But I thought you two are something?”

“We… no we just planned a date for the weekend. I have never seen his or anyone’s chest in that context.”

“Never?”

Stiles blushes hard.

“I have a feeling that we are drifting of.”

“Yes you are right, I am sorry. What I wanted to say is that we found an old freezer in Lahey’s house and that it seemed that there was someone locked into it sometimes.”

Stiles hisses as he breathes in quickly, he leans against the wall next to him and slowly lets himself glide to the floor. His heart is beating faster now, he can feel the pressure in his chest building. Just the image of Isaac in a box. And he saw the bruises, he should have known, no matter if they had been friends or not, he should have intervened; he is the sheriff’s kid god damn it if anyone should have seen it then him.

He feels his vision going blurry, he tries to calm his breath as he learned but it’s hard, when he doesn’t even know where Isaac is right now.

Derek’s persistent voice gets through to him suddenly. “Stiles! Stiles, speak to me! Should I get your dad? What’s going on?”

Stiles voice is soar but he manages to say, “No I am fine, he would just be concerned. I just” he breathes in and out again “just a little panic attack nothing life threatening.”

Derek’s voice on the other side of the line sounds angry. “Nothing? Your heart sounds like it is ready to jump out of your chest!”, Stiles can hear Derek draw a deep breath, “I am sorry I shouldn’t have told you, that was unprofessional. Don’t worry we are looking for Isaac.”

“You are looking for him because you think he is a murderer.”

“Stiles…”

Stiles interrupts him, “Tell me I am wrong! No I am not, and I still think he isn’t and if he were he would have been justified obviously.”

“Stiles! You can’t say that, murder is never justified!”

“Sure because you wouldn’t kill the person that killed your sister.”

Derek is silent for a moment before he starts with a careful, “Stiles…”

But Stiles interrupts him again, “Don’t worry I wouldn’t say that to anyone else, but I saw the look in your eyes when we talked about it.”

The bell rings and students start hurrying towards their classes mainly ignoring Stiles.

“You need to get to your classes.”

“Yeah… how did you know my heart was beating too fast?”

“My hearing is really good.”

Stiles coughs a laugh, “Sure it is. I am going to get myself screamed on by Finstock for being late to economics now… Call me when you find Isaac. Please.”

When Stiles is already at his classroom Derek finally answers.

“I can’t promise you anything.”

Stiles smiles, “That’s enough, thank you.”

He still feels jittery as he walks into class, and he is pale enough for Finstock to excuse his delay.

The only thing he can do for the rest of the afternoon is worry about Isaac. Not even Jackson bumping into him can draw anything more than slight irritation out of him.

\---

It’s Saturday evening and Stiles hasn’t heard anything from Isaac yet, he worked on the case of Laura’s murder a bit more and finally got some new information from the coroner. He hadn’t known that her body had looked so horrifying because some wild animals got to it, before it was discovered. The report also showed that the cause of death seemed to be something severing her carotid artery. He also started on Mr Lahey’s murder, but because that was still so fresh he didn’t dare to call anyone, who could have important information. He was planning a trip to the station for Sunday, where he could dig around while pretending that he is only there to bring his father some healthy food.

Stiles startles as he hears a knock, he doesn’t expect any visitors, and his father is at work.

He walks down slowly, baseball bat in hand. There have been two murders in the last months after all.

As Stiles opens the door he hides the bat behind his back.  
He lets go of the bat and it clashes down when he realizes who his visitor is.

“Isaac, what the hell are you doing here?” The other boy is looking at him with an expectant smirk. Isaac seems to stand a bit straighter and his skin seems to glow a bit more. It’s irritating how attractive he looks.

“It’s seven, I am here for our date, what else?”

“But you were missing.”

“Because I wasn’t in school for a day? I wouldn’t call that missing.”

Stiles shakes his head slowly still very confused, “No, but the police is searching for you.”

Isaac shrugs, “Let them. So where do you want to go?”

Stiles still stares. “What is with … with your father?”

Isaac gets more defensive now. “What should be with him, he was a mean old bastard and now he is dead, good riddance. So again where should we go, how about the diner near the reserve, you were gushing about their curly fries the other day.”

Stiles nods numbly and gets his hoody. He isn’t sure if this is the right thing to do, but he doesn’t really know what else he could do.

Outside of his house Stiles looks around and is confused when he doesn’t see Isaac’s bike and asks, “How did you get here?”

“I ran.” Isaac just says coolly, while walking over to Stiles’s jeep.

Stiles gets in after him, but he is still very much puzzled by this whole thing.

They drive in silence to the diner; Isaac is strangely calm and self-confidant.

In the diner they sit down and order.

Then the silence gets weird.

“So… why haven’t you been in school yesterday?”

Isaac gives him an irritated look, “Does that really matter?”

Stiles hesitates but then says, “Well, the police thinks you are a suspect and … your mobile was in your father’s car.”

“And how do you know that?”

Stiles swallows. “Well, I tried to call you and Derek picked up, he said…”

Isaac interrupts him, “Derek? Who is he?”

“A deputy, who works for my father.” Stiles isn’t sure why he gets nervous under Isaac’s scrutinizing look now, he doesn’t have anything to hide.

“Your heart just sped up, who is he that he makes your heart react that way?”

Stiles can only gap at Isaac because he is definitely just behaving odd now. And that’s the perfect moment for a young deputy accompanied by Derek to enter the diner. They exchange a look and a nod with the waitress, so Stiles is guessing that she called them.


	7. Trust

Isaac still stares at Stiles, not yet realizing that they have company.

“So again who is this Derek?”

Behind Isaac Derek clears his throat and looks at him expectantly. “Well that would be me. Isaac Lahey we were looking for you, it would be great if you could accompany us to the station so we could talk about your father.”

Isaac gives Derek a mean look, Derek just stands there completely unimpressed.

Suddenly Isaac seems to sniff the air and he looks at Derek confused.

“You smell different.”

Derek coughs, and for a moment Stiles is sure that he is trying to supress a laugh.

“Well, we might be able to talk about that too, just follow Officer Johns to the car, I will follow in a moment.”

Isaac shoots a suspicious look between Stiles and Derek. Stiles tries to not look at anyone and studies his last curly fry vehemently.

“How do you two know each other?”

“Like Stiles said I am one of his father’s deputies.”

“That’s not an answer. Stiles?”

Stiles looks up at Isaac and shrugs. “I don’t know what you want to know, there is really nothing more to it.”

“No! You are lying I can hear it.”

“Isaac! To the car now.”, Derek almost growls this time and the young deputy steps forward and grabs Isaac by his arm.

For a moment it looks like Isaac will struggle but then he decides to give in, he still shoots them suspicious looks as he walks out.

Derek sits down across from Stiles and just raises an eyebrow. These eyebrows are amazing he doesn’t even have to say anything and Stiles still knows what he is trying to say.

But Stiles can stay quiet, he can! It would be a bit easier if he had some food left, and staring at this one curly fry is getting boring now but still he won’t speak first. He thinks he is able to do that for at least five minutes, okay it probably was only like ten seconds but still.

“Okay, I am sorry.”

“You are?”, Derek asks expectantly while leaning back in an overly confident manner. And Stiles can’t help himself from thinking that he is totally sexy.

“Yes, I am, I just… he came by and I had no clue what I should do.”

“I am pretty sure you knew that you should have called your dad… or me.”

Stiles nods, “Yes but…”

“But you wanted some answers first.”, Derek interrupts him.

Stiles looks up at him, into these way to bright eyes, “No… well maybe yes but also, he is my friend! It’s hard to just call the police on a friend.”

And again Derek raises one of his eyebrows, could he look even sexier? Well probably without his shirt if the stretch of his uniform is anything to go by and that is so not the thing Stiles should think right now.

“You realize that he wants to be a bit more than just friends.”

Stiles groans, “Derek! That’s none of your business and so not important right now.”

“I am just saying, he looked like he wanted to slice me after he saw how you looked at me.”

Stiles blushes heavily now. “I didn’t… it’s not … he had the same look with Jackson it’s really nothing.”

Derek leans in. “And who is Jackson?”

“No one, some stupid bully from school.”

“Is he hurting you?”

Stiles is getting whiplash from this conversation. “No, why? He is just an idiot, he outed me in front of the whole lunchroom, not that he meant to, and he apologized”, thinking of that apology makes Stiles blush hard, “He is really not important.”

Derek frowns but lets§ it go for now. “Okay, I need to go but if you could promise me to call the police the next time a fugitive knocks on your door I and also your father would be most grateful.” Derek stands up as he says this.

Stiles jumps up too, “He isn’t a fugitive! He didn’t do this, how can you even think so?”

Derek gives him a thoughtful look. “You talked to him today, didn’t you?” Stiles nods. “And didn’t you feel like he was different, like the Isaac you saw today might have been able to kill someone.”

Stiles swallows hard, because he knows that Derek is right.

Derek just turns and starts walking, when Stiles grabs his arm, Derek looks confused at the place where Stiles is holding him.

“Please treat him fairly, I still don’t think he did it and this town… please don’t judge him for something before you have proof.”

Derek gives Stiles an expectant look now and Stiles blushes again.

“I know I did that with you, I am sorry, I guarantee you I learnt my lesson and I would have never thought you were a killer if I would have known you.”

Derek smiles darkly now. “So you really think you can trust your instincts, thinking I couldn’t harm a fly?”

Stiles shakes his head. “That’s not what I was saying, I am sure you could harm quite a lot of flies and also hurt a few people, and maybe even kill someone if you have no other choice, but you’re not a murderer I am sure of that.”

Derek’s look grows vulnerable for a moment until he closes down again, he shakes Stiles hand of and says, “You should be really careful with your trust in people, they can only disappoint you.”

Stiles frowns. “No that’s not the way it works.”

“It’s not?”, Derek asks.

“No it’s not, my mother used to say you have to trust in people first, because if you don’t believe in them they will never be able to proof you right.”

Derek just stares at Stiles for a moment. He seems to shake himself out of his stupor and starts walking to the door again, before he is out he turns to Stiles again and says, “No matter if your mother was right or not I am quite sure that she didn’t mean for you to include deputies, who are way too old for you, in your trust.” And he is gone.

Stiles waits a moment and when he is sure everyone is gone, he pays and gets his jeep to go home. He is confused by Derek but he has something else to focus on right now. And when he is home he begins a new research project.

Long after midnight he saves the file with the information he just gathered, he looks at it for a moment as it lays there on his desktop ‘Possible reasons for supernatural hearing and smell’, before he goes to bed, not falling asleep for a long time.


	8. Powerless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t updated for a long time, I know (sorry!), life kinda got in the way, but I already wrote the next chapter and I will try my best to stay with it, comments always motivate me of course ;)  
> Hope you like the new chapter!

Three weeks later and Stiles feels like he is going out of his mind. One moment his life was exciting, interesting and yes also frightening and the next nothing. He has seen Derek twice since the diner incident, but both times just in passing, once when he picked his father up from home and once when he ran into him in the grocery store. Derek avoided him distinctively both times.

It’s even worse with Isaac, he came back to school a few days after Derek picked him up, but he just ignored Stiles. When Stiles tried to talk to him, about what was going on he told him to get lost. Stiles has no clue why.

And then there is the fact that Erica and Boyd weren’t in school for a few days either and now seem different and completely ignore Stiles not even the friendly acknowledging nods he got when they passed in the hall are a thing anymore.

Stiles really has no clue what is going on, but honestly feels a bit scared to find out. Because if he would really research this and in the end find nothing, then the obvious conclusion would have to be the right one and that would be that everyone, with Scott being the only exception, got tired of him after spending too much time with him.

So Scott and Stiles spend their lunches again alone on their table not too far from the jocks’ table. Scott is still fixated on Allison even if he still isn’t able to talk to her. And like always he is not very subtly looking over at her table. Stiles is picking listlessly at his food he can’t even bring himself to make fun of his best friend, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Nothing seems worth it.

“Stilinski, can I talk to you for a second?”

Stiles jerks up and turns not really believing his ears for a moment. But there he is, as real as one can be, Jackson is standing in front of him and even if Stiles isn’t completely mistaken, looks a bit nervous.

Stiles would love to make a hundred jokes about this unreal situation, but with Jackson looking so serious at him all he can do is get his stuff and say to Scott, “See you in Chemistry.”

He follows Jackson out of the lunchroom and towards the library. Jackson stops in a dark corner, next to the janitors closet and he turns around looking even more nervous now.

Stiles tries to wait for Jackson to talk, but that really isn’t his strong suit.

“What do you want? You aren’t going to kill me here in this dark corner, are you?”

Jackson snorts and smirks at Stiles obviously having gained his confidence back.

“No, don’t worry that wasn’t the plan.”

“The plan, what plan?” Stiles fidgets a bit now because a confident Jackson who looks at him with this kind of smirk reminds him of what happened more than three weeks ago and he can’t help himself, his tongue darts out and licks over his lower lip at the memory.

Jackson’s gaze drops to his lips and his smirk is gone in an instant, his gaze grows serious now.

“Yeah the plan… the plan that means getting you alone and asking you if you want to go on a date with me.”

Jackson blushes now, Stiles can only stare, because he still doesn’t believe that he heard right, but the fact that Jackson is now bright red seems to confirm that he didn’t just hallucinate that.

Jackson huffs and starts to turn, obviously thinking that the silence is some kind of answer.

“Why?”

Because Stiles really doesn’t understand it’s not as if anyone else in his life seems attracted to him so why the hell should someone like Jackson be.

Jackson looks at him intensely as if he is trying to determine something. After a few seconds it seems that he has come to a conclusion and he suddenly advances on Stiles who can’t do anything but stand like a deer in headlights. And with force Jackson puts his right hand in his hair and presses his lips on his.

Stiles can feel the impulse of desire immediately. It’s as if his whole body remembers the last time they did this and as if on autopilot he presses himself into Jackson sprawling his hands onto his perfectly formed torso, moaning into his mouth when Jackson’s left hand advances towards his ass and grabs it.

With quite a bit of strain from both of them they stop their kiss to breath for a moment. Still leaning close to each other.

Out of breath Stiles says, “That still doesn’t answer my question.”

Jackson gives him an annoyed look, the first look today that Stiles is used to, it feels comforting to be back in known territory.

“I don’t know why I’m into someone as irritating as you, but I’m. And since it doesn’t seem like you are preoccupied by the stupid Lahey kid I thought I would at least ask.”

Jackson blushes at the last bit again. And suddenly Stiles can’t help but grin, it feels as if it’s the first time in weeks, it might be.

“Danny told you to ask me out! Oh my god he so did, you were whining about me and he told you to get your shit together and just do it, oh this is perfect!”

Jackson huffs annoyed but this time he doesn’t turn and walk away, he just gives Stiles an expectant look and says, “Maybe he said something, it’s not important and you haven’t answered my question either.”

Stiles grin falters suddenly and his heart beat skyrockets, he can’t deny that he is attracted to Jackson, but he wouldn’t be his first choice probably. But then it’s stupid that his first choice would be someone who obviously has no interest in him and ignores him so wholeheartedly.

“Okay.”

“That’s all I get? I ask you out and all you have to say is okay?”

Stiles roles his eyes but instead of countering this arrogant tirade with anything he moves forward and presses his lips onto Jackson’s. It’s the first time he initiated a kiss, any kiss and it feels different, good different in a sense he suddenly feels powerful as he feels Jackson’s astonishment for a second, before his lips melt into Stiles’s before his mouth opens after Stiles’s tongue is carefully licking his lips to ask for entrance. He leads this kiss, Jackson for once doesn’t try to fight for dominance, he goes pliable into Stiles’s body. It feels like a rush, the shiver he elicits in Jackson, the hitch in Jackson’s breath as he finally steps back, it all is a feeling of power Stiles never knew he would enjoy so much.

Jackson is bright red again. He clears his throat in an attempt to gain his posture back.

“Well anyway, I’ll pick you up tonight at seven at your house.”

Stiles gives Jackson a cheeky grin, “Can’t wait, can you?”

Jackson just murmurs something that sounds like ‘why do I have to like a stupid sarcastic little dipshit’ under his breath and walks away.

Stiles walks to his class and sits down next to Scott, his grin never wavering.

“What the hell did he want? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” and after a short pause and with a frown on his face Scott asks, “What happened? Why do you look so happy?”

Stiles tells Scott that Jackson asked him out, he tells him about the kiss. He doesn’t tell him that he isn’t into Jackson as much as Scott assumes, he doesn’t tell him that even if he is attracted to Jackson and is looking forward to seeing him the real reason for his current euphoria is the feeling of power he got, the feeling of being attractive and being able to render someone else speechless and make them nervous and blush. He knows that doesn’t make him a good person. But after feeling like shit because his real crush is just ignoring him and treating him like a little child, after that he needs this, he needs to know that he can be in power that he doesn’t have to be rendered powerless by his feelings.


	9. Grown-Up

Derek is a grown-up, by every definition of that word.

So he should feel like he has control over his life, shouldn’t he?

He remembers a time when he thought he had his life together, yes, maybe he wasn’t the most settled down person, but life was okay, he liked New York and he didn’t mind moving from time to time. Even if Laura was always going on about coming back and not letting the demons of their past dominate his life anymore. He was good at just ignoring her and meeting up with her in random places was good enough, he didn’t plan on coming back to Beacon Hill anytime soon.

But then Laura stopped replying for days at a time and her messages got short, cut off and when she stopped calling altogether, he knew something was up.

When he saw her, for the last time, she couldn’t meet his eyes, didn’t tell him what was going on, despite the fact that it was obvious that something was indeed going on.

And then he woke up suddenly, lying on a shabby mattress in their old home, screaming in agony at the feeling of something ripping through him and at the sudden realization that he wasn’t a beta anymore.

He had tried calling Laura, despite the fact that he had known well enough what had happened. Standing in front of his bathroom mirror, watching his eyes go red, he had known that she was dead.

He had tried finding her body, but couldn’t at first, whoever her killer had been he had to have known about werewolves, to be good enough to hide her scent. When he had finally tracked it down, he could only watch from afar as the police was gathering around her body.

He knows that his attempt at finding Laura’s murderer was pretty shitty, but he was baffled that it was shitty enough for a sixteen-year-old to get the idea that he was his sister’s killer.

But at the time he hadn’t known Stiles, now he knows that you should never underestimate the teen and is just sad that his biography could paint the picture of a cold blooded killer in Stiles’s mind.

Derek remembers the first time he saw Stiles as more than an uncoordinated teenager all too clearly. When he was making that inappropriate lacrosse comment about being able to hold a stick, it wasn’t that comment per se that made him see Stiles differently it was more the change in his smell, the level of arousal that suddenly surrounded him and the blush that formed on his normally all-too-pale face.

Stiles wasn’t the first teenager that was aroused by Derek’s presence, the police uniform seemed to make it even worse, so that was nothing new to him. But what was new was that Derek cared, because he cared about this weird gangly kid and not because his father was his boss, but because he showed such vulnerability in front of Derek and he didn’t even seem to see how unusual that was and well the fact that his hands could elicit all kinds of fantasies didn’t hurt either.

Derek is sure that the decision to stop talking to him and to blatantly ignore him from now on was a good idea.

But he still winces when he thinks about their all too awkward meeting in the grocery store.

_Flashback_

“Oh sorry didn’t mean to run into you, quite literally”, Stiles voice comes suddenly from behind Derek after he feels someone pushing into him.

He turns and stares at Stiles with a high torn eyebrow. Stiles blushes immediately when he realizes who he ran into.

“Oh Derek, wow what a coincidence, nice to see you, has been a while.”

Derek didn’t miss the slight wandering of Stiles’s eyes and the way they stay on his tight fitting shirt.

“Stiles.”, he knows he doesn’t need to say more to remind Stiles of his manners.  
Stiles moves his eyes up again straight away, blushing hard.

“Anyway, how is it going? Getting used to being a deputy?”

“It’s not as hard as you might think.”

Derek knows his tone isn’t friendly on the verge of rude actually, but he can’t deal with this boy anymore, because that is all he is a boy. That is what Derek keeps reminding himself of.

“Come on, give me a bit more info, how are the cases going?”

Derek, who avoided directly looking at Stiles until now, fixes his gaze on him.

“Stiles, you’re not a detective, you’re a teenager, who already got someone arrested wrongfully once, which makes it quite obvious that you’re not even good at this. Now let it go, go back to high school and playing videogames or what not and leave the grown-ups alone.”

Stiles looks seriously hurt.

“Okay, okay I get it, you’ve had enough of the magical Stilinski charm”, inaudible to human ears he adds, “you’re not the only one these days.”

And he is gone. Derek looks after this whirlwind made of flannel as it leaves the store without actually buying anything.

_Flashback end_

Derek knows that it might not have been perfectly right to forbid Isaac from talking to Stiles anymore, but it’s just for his safety. At least that is what Derek keeps telling himself. He doesn’t dwell on the fact that he gave Erica and Boyd the same order more than half-heartedly.

Derek can hear Isaac long before he comes into the house, but the teen is still used to being human and cries out, “Derek, I’m back from school.”

Erica and Boyd follow right behind him. Boyd has a hand slung over Erica’s shoulders. They got together right after he bit Boyd and they both realized what their change of smell meant when they were in each other’s vicinity.

Derek will deny if ever asked, but they are a pretty great pair actually and not horribly sickening like other teenage lovebirds.

And if Derek thinks for a moment about how a certain sarcastic teen might behave if he were in a relationship, well he doesn’t need to tell anyone.

Isaac flops down on the recently purchased second-hand couch looking decidedly grumpy.

Derek raises an eyebrow in question at Erika. She is normally the one with the answers.

“He is just annoyed because Stiles smelled like Jackson today.”

Derek can’t stop the growly, “What?”, that escapes his mouth.

Erika rolls her eyes and explains, “I don’t know what’s going on between them, but Jackson is definitely into Stiles and if I would have to guess I would say they made out today.”

Derek doesn’t care, of course he doesn’t, why should he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is already finished, just need to edit it, so the next update won't take to long and like always I’m incredible thankful for the comments and you can find me on tumblr moldedthroughfire.tumblr.com


	10. Fatherly Love

It’s 6.50 pm and his dad still hasn’t left the house. Stiles has been down in the kitchen three times now, his explanations getting worse each time.

His father doesn’t take that much time normally and he should be gone by now.

Stiles hears a rustling downstairs and very carefully sneaks out into the hall to see if his father is finally on his way.

His dad, of course, hears him.

“Son could you please come down here.”

That’s not good. Stiles hurries down, trying to calm his expression.

His dad gives him a suspicious look. “Could you explain why you want me gone so badly today?”

“Ah dad, you know I would love it, if you stayed, but I know you have a big bad killer to catch, I don’t want to keep you from that and isn’t your shift starting at 7? You really should be on your way now, can’t set a bad example for the other deputies now, can we?”

Stiles catches a breath after finishing his rambling, he thinks it went okay, because his dad is grabbing his wallet and mobile despite the fact that he is still looking at him suspiciously.

Stiles hope gets smashed by a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it”, and as quick as possible Stiles is at the door, opening it, just prepared to tell Jackson to hide in his car, when he is confronted with a very grumpy Derek.

“Oh”, is all he can say to that.

Derek seems to get even grumpier.

“Expecting someone else?”

Derek asks cuttingly.

Stiles blushes, but thankfully doesn’t have to give an answer as his father approaches.

“You’re a bit late was just about to drive myself.”

“Sorry, just had to give a speeding ticket to a kid in a Porsche.”

Stiles blush deepens even more and he thinks he can see how Derek’s eyes give him a mischievous look.

Before Stiles can think too much about that he sees Jackson’s Porsche arriving. He pales, but thankfully Jackson seems to have as little desire to meet his father today as Stiles has in introducing them and he drives past the house giving Stiles the stink eye. Stiles can’t help his eye rolling; it’s like an automatic response to Jackson by now. He has no idea how they could ever manage a relationship or dating or whatever.

When he looks back at Derek he realizes that the other man has seen Jackson’s car and his reaction and seems to be pissed again.

“I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that my grown-up deputy seems to have a staring contest with my teenage son”, his father says pointedly.

It’s meant for Derek, but the look he gives Stiles definitely says, we’ll talk about what’s going on here.

Derek nods blushing lightly, walking to his car without so much as a good bye, his father follows, waving at Stiles.

Stiles watches the beautiful Camaro leave their driveway and tries not to get too hung up on Derek’s weird reaction. And only minutes later the perfect distraction arrives in form of a way too posh but still cool, even if Stiles would never admit it, Porsche.

\---Derek’s POV---

Derek clutches the steering wheel as if he wants to strangle it, it’s hard to unclench his jaw. He knows he should be a bit more professional next to his boss, but after what happened right now he just can’t.

He had asked Isaac a few casual questions about Jackson, just to make sure that Stiles wouldn’t get into trouble. That’s something that couldn’t be confirmed unfortunately. This Jackson kid seems even worse then what Derek had already heard from Stiles. And who drives a Porsche with sixteen?

Derek was already mad when he was on his way to the sheriff, and a silver Porsche with a smug teenager inside overtook him, he just couldn’t help himself.

Meeting Jackson was even worse, the kid had no respect whatsoever for Derek and was, before he was even handing over his license, already mentioning that his dad is a lawyer.

Derek has really no clue what Stiles could see in him.

He might have asked Jackson where he was driving too and that was the first time when the teen’s answer wasn’t eloquent and he seemed kind of embarrassed.

“You know I thought about letting it go, but your constipated expression doesn’t really calm me. So what’s going on and what has it to do with my son?”

The sheriff’s voice breaks through his train of thought.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.”

Derek knows it’s a flimsy lie.

“Derek!”

The sheriff sounds stern, it’s obvious that he won’t let this one go since it concerns his son.

So the half-truth it is.

“It’s just that Isaac mentioned that he wasn’t sure what he thought about a kid in his school, Jackson, and Stiles becoming friends.”

The sheriff frowns, “Jackson and my son being friends? I don’t think I can see that, but it might explain why his car was driving past our house just then, but still, they have always hated each other. And what is it to you if they are?”

After following his own thought, the sheriff’s voice sounds suspicious again.

“Nothing of course, just slightly concerned for Stiles, Jackson doesn’t seem to be a good influence.”

The sheriff chuckles, it reminds Derek of Stiles and that’s definitely not a comparison he should draw right now or ever.

“You realize that my son is the trouble maker in this town. I mean Jackson is a douchebag sure, but I’m quite certain that my son could teach him a lot about breaking the rules.”

Derek swallows but he can’t stop what comes out next, “But he does it with good intentions, doesn’t that make a difference?”

The sheriff gives him a questioning look, “I didn’t know you had such a good opinion about my son, especially after he got you arrested.”

Derek shrugs, “It was never his intent to get an innocent arrested.”

“Hm, how often did you two interact exactly?”

Derek levels his breath forcefully, he won’t blush right now, there is nothing to blush about.

“Not often, you know about the time when I talked to him on the phone when he called Isaac and then when we picked up Isaac, I think that’s all.” He doesn’t mention the time in the lawyer’s office, he doesn’t want to get Stiles into trouble.

“And what did you two talk about when you got Isaac?”

Derek swallows again, he remembers Stiles’s hand on his arm and he tries not to think about how much it had meant to him that Stiles kind of told him that he trusted him.

“Nothing special, I told him that he should have called you when Isaac knocked on his door.”

The sheriff gives him a look that makes it obvious that he doesn’t believe him, but he drops it for now.

“How is that going by the way, with him living with you now?”

“It’s fine, I mean he is leaving his stuff all over the place, but I think he is getting used to the change.”

“It was nice of you to offer your place to him.”

It doesn’t really sound like a compliment.

“He didn’t have any other place to stay so I thought…”

Derek doesn’t know how to end this sentence since he can’t just say, ‘he is pack of course he is staying with me’.

“Officer Johns mentioned that Isaac didn’t seem friendly towards you in the dinner, but when you arrived at the station he only wanted to talk to you, what happened there?”

The sheriff is way too intelligent for Derek’s liking, much like his son.

“I just talked to him and I think he understood that trusting me was his best chance to not get into trouble.”

“Interesting, that you would say something like that. You don’t seem so trusting yourself.”

He would like to quit right now, please. What do all the Stilinskis have with his level of trust in other people?

“I’m not sure what you mean, sir”, he says obviously stilted.

Thankfully they just arrived at the station.

But before Derek can flee the confined space, the sheriff adds, “I like you, son, you’re a good deputy and you were really good with Isaac, but I don’t care what it is exactly that is going on between you and my son, if it’s a budding friendship or a secret you share about your sister’s murder investigation or something else”, he pauses for a moment, his voice never loosing his light tone, but his eyes go steely, “But Stiles is only sixteen and you should better not forget that.”

He leaves the car before Derek can counter anything, and it’s probably best that way, because what should he have said anyway, that he already cut his contact with Stiles, because he suspects how wrong that could go? That wouldn’t calm anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had other plans for this chapter, but then the sheriff needed to have a talk with Derek. I hope you don’t mind.


	11. Busted

Stiles keeps looking out of the small window by the door, to see if Jackson is finally coming, for a moment he is afraid that he chickened out.

Before he can decide if that’s a good thing or not he sees the sliver car arrive in his driveway.

Stiles opens the door, before Jackson can even reach it.

“So…”

Wow very eloquent today.

Jackson gives him his typical annoyed look and walks right past him into his house.

Stiles flails his arms at him and asks, “Hey man, I didn’t tell you to come in and didn’t you say something about going to dinner? That means getting out of the house, not in.”

Jackson just smirks at him and waits for Stiles to close the door before advancing on him until Stiles whole back touches the door in his attempt to retreat.

“Maybe I just wanted to say hi, before going out and I thought you would appreciate me not doing that in front of your house.”

Stiles gulps and before he can say anything Jackson’s lips are on his.

He takes his mouth like it’s his right to do so and Stiles tries to match his enthusiasm, but he momentarily forgets how to move his lips, when Jackson presses his whole body into his and places his hands on his hips to move them even closer, which Stiles wouldn’t have thought possible a moment ago.

He can’t help the moan that escapes him at that and Jackson like the jerk he is smirks into their kiss. But Stiles can surprise too and he uses that smirk to dart his tongue past Jackson’s lips and that gets a moan out of Jackson.

And somewhere in the back of his mind Stiles thinks that that moan sounds wrong that he has imagined it differently, but then he also thought of five-shadow beard against his cheeks, dark hair under his hands and a completely different kind of jerk in front of him.

Jackson moves away a bit and frowns at Stiles.

“You know we don’t have to do this if you’re too distracted.”

Stiles roles his eyes, what a drama queen.

“I thought you wanted to go out and not just make out, not that I’m complaining.”

It sounds hollow. Stiles should probably just end this whatever it is, here and now. But it feels so damn good, even if it doesn’t feel right. And he is a horny sixteen-year-old, what can he do? He tries not to think about the fact that that was kind of the point Derek tried to make just a few weeks ago.

“Okay let’s go.”

Jackson pushes Stiles with force from the door to open it. Stiles stumbles into the wall, and naturally smashes his shoulder at the just opened door. That will make quite a bruise again, just great.

Jackson drives wordlessly with Stiles next to him not even telling him where he is going. And Stiles gets it, he is a real asshole to Jackson right now, because no matter how emotionally constipated the other boy acts, he laid himself open when he asked him for this date and Stiles has given him nothing. Yes okay maybe he gave him access to his mouth and maybe he allows some groping but he hasn’t opened up emotionally not said once that he was glad that Jackson asked him out or that he liked him even a bit.

But despite knowing that he should, he just can’t bring himself to do so, because despite the fact that he might be able to like Jackson, the truth about his emotional distance would only hurt him. Jackson wouldn’t like the fact that he is the second choice. Stiles doesn’t think that Jackson would continue this if he would know how much of a second maybe even third choice he really is to him.

And Stiles feels guilty about this, because he learnt better, he knows his mother wouldn’t appreciate him acting like this. But he also knows that he doesn’t have a chance in hell with Derek and he doesn’t want to feel so alone anymore. Just the other day Scott finally talked to Allison and if her laughing at his poor jokes is anything to go by then Stiles will soon be truly alone again and he just can’t deal with that.

He is deep in his thoughts when he realizes where they are and he sees the car workshop to their right and in front of it he can see a trashed blue old Toyota.

“Stop”, Stiles says maybe a bit too forceful, if the way Jackson abruptly hits the brakes is anything to go by.

Thankfully they were almost alone on the street.

“What is it?”

Jackson asks looking around for a good reason to stop in the middle of the road.

Stiles blushes, “I didn’t mean right there, I just… could you stop at the workshop for a moment, I need to ask something.”

If looks could kill, well Stiles is pretty sure he wouldn’t have made his sixth birthday, if they could.

“Why?”

“Like I said I need to ask something.” Stiles doesn’t add that he recognizes the car from the news coverage of Isaac’s father’s death and that despite having moved not much further in the last couple of weeks he was still investigating the recent murders that were hunting Beacon Hills.

Jackson starts his car again and despite looking very annoyed he drives to the workshop.

Stiles smiles at him and when they both leave the car and walk towards the front desk Stiles touches Jackson’s wrist for a moment and says “Thank you.”

Jackson huffs but he seems a bit less angry.

Stiles blasters his most charming smile on his face, not deterred by Jackson’s pulled eyebrow, and leans on the front desk.

“Hi, I just saw the car upfront and was wondering how much it would cost to buy it, I know it’s a bit of a mess, but I’m kind of tinkerer and I would love to play with it and I’m sure it has just the right parts for my baby.”

The bored looking woman in front of him gives him a suspicious look and says, “I don’t think it’s for sale, but let me just grab my boss.”

And she walks through a door to what Stiles guesses is the garage. Stiles is pretty sure that they should leave right now, but there is the slight chance that he could find some clues here and he didn’t find any in weeks. He feels the thrill of the investigation again.

After a few minutes an older man dressed in blue work clothes with a lot of grease on them is coming through the door.

He is giving Stiles a disbelieving look and asks, “So you’re interested in the piece of scrap upfront?”

Before Stiles can say anything, Jackson says in his ‘I am better than you’ voice, “He said that already and you should be thankful that someone wants to take it of your hands. So do you sell it or not? We have better places to be.”

Stiles has to fight hard to keep himself from looking at Jackson admiringly, maybe he should really give him a chance.

“It’s not for sale, it’s part of a murder investigation, we were just trying to find out why it crashed.”

Stiles can’t help himself, “And did you?”

“Stiles!”

Stiles freezes as he hears his father’s stern voice from behind.

He turns slowly and tries to smile weekly at him when he realizes that Derek is standing next to him, looking at Stiles like he can’t believe that he is even here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got a bit sidetracked by a new fandom (Aaron and Robert from Emmerdale (a British soap) if you're interested)  
> But I'll be back with more, it just could take a bit longer (like two weeks) this time.


	12. Coming Out, Again

Well that didn’t go as planned, but of course it had to be Stiles’s luck that his father and Derek were just driving close by when the mechanic called the station, of course they had to.

“Do you want to explain this?”

His father asks him with his serious expression. They are standing outside the garage now, the sheriff facing his son, Jackson still standing close by Stiles but constantly looking on the floor and Derek standing a foot away looking with frustration at Stiles.

“Well, you know how it is, we were just driving past the garage and I mean I was just curious to know how much the car would cost, I’m sure it would be fun to fix and…” before Stiles can continue he hears Derek snort.

“Stiles, why are you investigating the Lahey case?”, his father asks sternly.

“What, that’s what that was about?” Jackson asks all his attention on Stiles now, he looks furious and maybe even hurt.

“Yes, no, I mean it’s complicated and it has nothing to do with Isaac, it’s just…”

“No, you know what, fuck you, why did I even try?” Jackson throws his hands in the air in exacerbation; he wants to walk off but the sheriff holds him up giving Stiles a curious look.

Derek walked closer in the meantime and is now standing just behind Stiles looking threateningly at Jackson.

Stiles ignores them and walks closer to Jackson to at least imitate some kind of intimate atmosphere.

“I’m sorry, I know I was shitty today, I don’t know… I guess I just didn’t really think you were serious, but … I mean if you are then… I would want to give this a try, I think.”

Stiles seriously hopes that he is more eloquent normally.

Jackson looks at Stiles as if he has to untangle a seriously difficult puzzle. Stiles tries to convey how serious he is, but it is hard to concentrate solely on Jackson while he can feel Derek behind him and his dad is looking seriously confused by now.

And he can even feel Derek’s body heat. What the fuck! Does he run a fever and how close does he have to stand? Stiles knows he shouldn’t look that whatever chance he has with Jackson is slim enough already but he can feel Derek’s eyes on him how they stare holes into his head and he can’t hold it in anymore.

He turns quickly and faces Derek.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? After all the shit about leaving you alone you gave me, you want to breathe down my neck now?”

“Stiles! I don’t know what is going on here, but you won’t speak to one of my deputies like this! And Derek just took Isaac in, so no matter what kind of relationship is going on between you two I’m sure that would make it understandable that he would have less time for you now.”

“You took Isaac in?” Stiles just stares at Derek and his brain is working in overdrive, and suddenly something clicks.

“You told him to stay away from me. You are the reason why he isn’t talking to me anymore!”

Derek at least has the decency to look uncomfortable and to not deny the accusation.

Stiles can hear Jackson exhale heavily behind him and mentally kicks himself for not starting this argument another time.

“So who is it, Isaac or this bad excuse for a bodybuilder?”

Stiles blushes at what he can guess the accusation is about, but he turns and asks nonetheless.

“What do you mean?”

“Who are you so in love with, that you can’t even enjoy making out with someone like me?”

Jackson’s confidence is back and he seems to have given up on the idea of anything going on between them, Stiles can see it in his eyes, he is out for his blood now. And he doesn’t seem to care that the sheriff is right next to him.

Oh shit, his dad is right there.

Stiles just wants to say something, not that he really knows what, but before he can Derek breaks his silence.

“Why did you even try to make out with him when you realized that he didn’t like it?” His tone is ice-cold, it sounds dangerous.

Even Jackson seems to realize the danger and he takes a step back.

Stiles knows he has to defuse the situation but talking about this in front of his dad still feels shitty.

“It wasn’t like that I… I enjoyed the making out part I might just have started to think a bit too much about other things while doing it.”

“Other people you mean.” Jackson looks furious at Stiles again.

And Stiles for once doesn’t deny it, because Derek is still standing way too close to his back and even if he is angry at him at this moment and has a lot of questions about some of the changes that he saw happening with Isaac in the last few weeks, no matter how much he tries he can’t deny that he appreciates the warmth, the closeness and also the protectiveness that Derek seems to have on his behalf.

“I think you can go now, we’ll drive my son home. And I know I can trust you to treat him with the respect he deserves, don’t I?”

If Derek’s tone was a threat than the sheriff’s is a promise.

Jackson nods, still looking sourly, but quickly retreats in his Porsche.

Which leaves Stiles all alone with his dad and Derek, who as soon as the sheriff gives him a raised eyebrow takes at least three steps away from Stiles.

Stiles can’t help but miss his warmth immediately.

“So does anyone want to explain to me what is going on here?”

Stiles wants to say something, he knows he has to, but for once he can’t think of anything. This was not the coming out he had planned. But then that seemed to be a theme going for him.

“Okay let’s start with something simple, I’m getting that you’re gay or at least into men, my son?”

Stiles nods and continues to stare into the floor. “Gay, that’s me, yes.”

“And you Derek, not that I would normally be interested in the sexual orientation of one of my deputies, but I think you get why this could be important information for me in this situation.”

Stiles steals a quick glance at Derek, he seems even worse off than Stiles, honestly he looks like he wants to throw up.

“I’m gay, but there has never … there is definitely nothing going on between me and your son.”

Stiles looks up for real now, because Derek sounded so damn unsure despite the fact that nothing that happened between them could even be construed into something more, at least not that Stiles thought.

“You don’t sound very sure about that, but I’ll decide to believe you for now. So you and Jackson or you and Isaac, what is it?”

“Well Jackson obviously isn’t a thing anymore and he might have kissed me once or twice” Stiles can see Derek raising his eyebrow at him as if he knows that Stiles is lying, “Okay three times, happy now? Anyway that’s all and Isaac just asked me out on a date before Derek obviously banned him from ever talking to me again.”

And now Derek’s blushing, and Stiles can’t believe it, because he was still sure that Derek had some kind of very logical responsible explanation for this but his blush says something different. And Stiles can feel his heartbeat speeding up at the thought of Derek might having some kind of feelings for him.

His eyes meet Derek’s and despite the fact that he looks like he would like to be swallowed by a black hole right now, he doesn’t look away. For a moment they stare into each other’s eyes and for the first time since Stiles met Derek he knows that he isn’t the only one who feels something here. His heart feels like it wants to jump out of his chest he isn’t sure if it is because of happiness or fear.

The sheriff clears his throat loudly and Stiles snaps his head quickly in his direction, bright red now too.

He looks angry; he rarely looks like that at Stiles, that’s so not good.

“We are driving you home now. And you’ll stay there and when I’m home which I will try to be at 1, we will talk about this.”

The way his dad ignores Derek now doesn’t bode well for the other man either.

Stiles slinks after his dad who walks with purpose to the driver’s seat of his car, Derek walks stiffly next to him and when they both arrive next to the front seat there is a moment of awkwardness, both so used to sitting there that they didn’t really think about it and now they are standing way too close both reaching for the door handle. And Stiles knows that his father is right there and that they are already in enough trouble as it is, but on an impulse he doesn’t stop his hand until it brushes Derek’s and then he purposefully draws it back with his fingers stroking over Derek’s hand. He tells himself that he just wants to be sure, just wants to know how Derek reacts, but he knows that that’s bullshit he wanted to touch him from the moment he first laid eyes on him and that has no higher purpose at all.

But when he looks at Derek how shellshocked he looks, how his breath catches and how a shiver runs over his bare arm, he knows that no matter how much his father will scream at him this was worth it. Even if he has to fight quite hard to not pop an inappropriate boner now.

Quickly, before his dad thinks that holding his temper for now is too much to ask, he sits himself in the backseat.

His dad gives him a very disappointed look in the rear-view mirror when he starts driving. As far as Stiles can see Derek is just staring at his hands.

He knows that he should feel really shitty, but he can still feel Derek’s warm skin under his fingers and that feels like it could be worth the trouble he is in now.

His father drops him off at home with a last warning to not leave the house, Derek is still staring at his hands. Stiles had planned to say something along the line that it isn’t Derek’s fault, but he doesn’t really know how to say that without admitting that there is something going on for which someone could be to blame.  
So he just leaves the car with an awkward wave and while he walks into his house he thinks about what he should do first take a hot relaxing shower while replaying the feeling of Derek’s hand or calling Scott and detailing the evening’s events (as he promised he would do as soon as Jackson left).

\----

Once upon a time Derek had thought of himself as someone with perfect control, someone who would never be caught in a morally ambitious situation. Once upon a time he was sure that would never happen to him again. Well that was before he met Stiles. Now he is left with the feeling and smell of the teen’s way too long fingers on his hand and it takes him every last ounce of his slipping control to not smell the residual smell he left there.

And what’s even worse is that despite the fact that the sheriff looks like he wants to kill someone, presumably Derek, he still feels kind of good because he knows that Jackson won’t touch Stiles again.

“So”, the sheriff starts, sounding like he tries to keep this civil.

Derek decides to stay silent, until there is a real question because he can’t win with anything that he could say right now, because even if the sheriff wasn’t a perceptive person the way they looked at each other before you would have to be blind to not see what was going on and even if you were blind you could have felt the charge in the air probably.

“Did I mention that my son is sixteen? Because I think I did, and I know what he would say, but it doesn’t matter that he is turning seventeen in two weeks.”

Derek has to hold himself back from asking when Stiles birthday is and he has to stop the thoughts about what a good gift would be. For a crazy moment his brain supplies him with the answer that Stiles would surly be very happy with finding Derek gift-wrapped in his bed. The teen is obviously having a bad influence on his brain functions.

“Derek, I mean it, he is sixteen and I won’t hesitate to arrest you if you dare to touch him.”

Derek gnaws on his lips heavily, he doesn’t really know what he should say, a few hours ago he would have agreed and said that he would never do something like that, but he isn’t that self-deluded, he knows that it is quite possible that their will be a moment when he can’t resist Stiles.

“I understand.” That’s at least true he gets why the sheriff doesn’t want him to be with his son, he agrees completely and not only because of the age gap.

“I know… I know he can fixate on his ideas of romance sometimes but I really hope that I can trust you to not take advantage of his youthful naivety.”

Derek can’t help the low laugh that escapes him.

When the sheriff looks at him in disappointment he knows he has to explain himself.

“Stiles is many things, maybe a bit too trusting, but he definitely isn’t naïve.”

The sheriff looks sad suddenly, “He isn’t so trusting by nature, he just, he just thinks that he has to give someone a chance when he is in doubt, because that’s what his mother taught him. And you know I don’t have anything against you per se, I wouldn’t mind that he trusts you, if he wouldn’t look at you like he wants to climb you.”

And Derek can’t once again help himself and blushes heavily, he doesn’t know when the last time was that he blushed so much.

Thankfully the sheriff seems to decide that this has been enough of that and starts talking about the Lahey case, it’s still stiff but it’s better than the awkwardness before.

And Derek does his best to concentrate on the topic at hand and not to stroke the point on his right hand that made contact with Stiles’s fingers. No he doesn’t even think of the awkward teen with the cute moles and eyes that could bore into Derek’s soul.


	13. Visit from the Past

Stiles is flopped down on his bed, his hair finally stopped dripping onto his pillow and his phone is pressed to his ear, he just finished recounting the night’s events to Scott.

“Wow.”

“Very eloquent Scotty, do you have a bit more to say?”

“So you think he is really into you?”

He loves how Scott is able to concentrate on the important parts.

“Yes, I mean I know it’s unlikely and I would never just think that, but you should have seen him, how he was acting the whole time and then when” Stiles hesitates he doesn’t know how to say when we stared into each other’s souls.

“When you had your moment, you mean? Yeah, I agree it sounds totally like he is into you and why shouldn’t he, you’re amazing.”

Stiles chuckles lightly.

“But your dad won’t like this, will he?”

“Oh no, you should have seen him, he was furious, and I mean yes he is a bit older than me but still, it’s not like he could be my dad or anything.”

“Yuck, that’s disgusting imagine you with someone like Coach.”

“Ugh, don’t give me a picture like that when I need to preserve my Derek spank material.”

Scott chuckles lightly, he just starts saying something, when Stiles hears Mrs McCall’s voice through the phone, “Scott don’t forget that your dad is picking you up from school tomorrow.”

“What the hell!” Stiles can’t keep his voice from almost yelling, he should know if that dick is in town and in his best friend’s life again.

“Stiles calm down.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that he is back in town?”

“Because I knew how you would react, I know that you don’t like him, and I don’t disagree, I just… I don’t know, I at least wanted to give this a chance without knowing all the very logical reasons why I shouldn’t.”

All the good mood that Stiles had from his moment with Derek is gone. How could he have been such a shitty friend?

Stiles swallows hard and tries to bring across that he isn’t judging just seriously interested.

“How long has he been back in your life?”

“Not that long, I mean, and please don’t get mad, but he started to come around a few month ago not often and mostly it’s just for half an hour or so and it is always a bit awkward and in the beginning he just mentioned that he was in town and thought he should see me. Honestly I’m not completely sure about it, but mum says I should at least try. But it’s really weird, I mean he is my dad, I should have something in common and something to talk about with him shouldn’t I? But really it just feels strange, like he doesn’t even want to be there.”

Stiles realizes that Scott bottled all of these thoughts up for month just because he thought Stiles wouldn’t support whatever decision he made and maybe he was right to not trust him with this, because he wants to say that Mr McCall is just an asshole and that nothing can change that and that he shouldn’t give him a second of his time. But he can’t do that, he never brought up the time when Mr McCall screamed at him, when he was ten because his hyperactive self had made a mess of the kitchen while Scott was still sleeping peacefully. He never told his best friend that he had had bruises on his arms for days after that.

He watched Scott closely then, just waiting for McCall to slip up, a week after the event he had told him that if Scott had ever so much as a red cheek he would tell his dad and he would be arrested. Scott’s dad didn’t seem impressed and thankfully nothing happened as far as Stiles knows and then Mrs McCall took matters into her own hands anyway. And Stiles knew that Scott was sad but he could never bring himself to even appear sad about McCall’s disappearance. After all he had been the first person that made Stiles realize that not all people deserve your trust.

“I’m sorry that you couldn’t tell me. You know, I mean yes I won’t deny that I don’t like him, but I’ll be always there for you no matter what you do.”

“I know, thanks. And I’m sure your dad will be fine, he is just concerned and I mean it must have been a bit much for one day, first he finds out that you’re still investigating the Lahey murder, then that you’re gay, dating an asshole, had a date with someone connected to said murder and are into his deputy, who you incidentally accused of murder.”

“It sounds really horrible when you say it like that.”

They talk a bit more about school and Allison and Scott promises him that he will shield him from any possible awkwardness tomorrow.

At 11 his dad texts that he won’t make it until at least 4 and that Stiles shouldn’t wait up. He isn’t sure if he is relieved or unhappy that he has to wait for whatever is coming.

Weirdly enough he sleeps quite well despite the strange events of the day. He dreams of green-greyish eyes that convey more than he ever thought possible.

\---

The next day at school is as awkward as expected. Jackson is ignoring him and not like before when it was so often a mean grin that was thrown in his direction, no this time it’s complete avoidance. And Danny looks at Stiles like he hit a puppy. Which makes Stiles feel even worse. This was really not his best moment as a human being.

Scott is thankfully by his side the whole day, even when Isaac comes up to him, just as they walk into the lunchroom.

“Sorry for ignoring you before, you can sit with us at lunch again, if you want to.”

Stiles looks perplexed for a moment but then he frowns and asks, “Did Derek tell you to be nice to me again?”

Isaac rolls his eyes, “Does it matter? Do you want to sit with us or not?”

Stiles hadn’t known that the other teen was actually a sarcastic little shit but well it was better than sitting all alone and only listening to Scott praise Allison.

They fall into comfortable small talk again and it seems the same as before, but Stiles can’t help but see the little differences in his fellow schoolmates. The way that Erica’s acne seems to have gone and the way she holds herself with so much more confidence and did she actually dress up, damn when did Stiles get so gay that her cleavage didn’t attract his attention? And then there is also the fact that Boyd doesn’t seem so closed up anymore despite still being very quiet. And Isaac seems almost arrogant suddenly. The wheels in Stiles’s head are turning but he can’t make any sense of it yet.

\---

Stiles is still thinking about the weird lunch break when he runs into McCall at the petrol station after school.

He swallows heavily, for a moment he thinks about just ignoring him, but they are literally standing opposite of each other, with McCall getting a newspaper and him grabbing the Snickers bar he wanted.

“Hi, Scott just told me you are back in town, how is it going?”, the tone of Stiles’s voice betrays his discomfort and nervosity clearly.

McCall just gives him a tired look, like he is already sick of him.

“As good as can be expected in an exciting town like Beacon Hills.”

Stiles almost has to laugh at that, since that’s something that could have come from him too.

“Well then what are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it enough for me to want to see my son?”

Stiles shakes his head slightly, he is pretty sure that they both know that that has never been McCall’s priority.

“Yes but you’re meeting up with him tomorrow, aren’t you, so why come here earlier than you would need to?”

McCall frowns at him, “What is it to you?”

“Just interested that’s all.”

“You know, you’re too curious about things that only concern adults.”

“Yeah, because I’m way too young to understand your potential motivation. Mrs McCall is happy by the way and you’re not going to mess it up!”

“Mrs McCall? Still not gotten to mom?” McCall says with an evil grin.

Stiles is too shocked to counter something and McCall has paid and left the store before he gets himself together again.

He already thought that the man was evil and he just confirmed his previous preconception.

Slightly disoriented he pays and makes his way to the shabby motel at the outskirts of town that Laura had some kind of connection to.

Stiles overheard his father talking to one of his deputies about the number they found on a piece of paper in one of Laura’s pockets a few weeks before and that the number belonged to this motel. He knows that his father’s deputies already investigated the place and if his father’s frustrated expression had been anything to go by they didn’t find anything, but Stiles feels too restless to do schoolwork today and his internet research proved pretty fruitless in the last couple of weeks.

The motel that comes into view doesn’t look nice, not a place where you would expect to find a woman like Laura, but she had some kind of connection to this place and Stiles will try his best to find out why she was here or who she met here.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments, I can gurantee you they help a lot, nothing gets me more motivated to write than a supportive comment! I'm also on tumblr, moldedthroughfire, drop by :)


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